Journalism
ABC issues apology after Nationals comments spark backlash
The ABC has issued a public apology after federal politics reporter Claudia Long suggested two Nationals MPs had effectively ghosted their communities during deadly flood events.
Mediaweek welcomes new editor to the team
Mediaweek is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Barrett as the new editor, marking a significant step in the publication’s evolution.
Barrett, a seasoned media commentator and journalist, brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the Australian media landscape to the role.
This isn’t Barrett’s first role with Mediaweek – he held the role of Deputy Editor in 2015-16
Radio
ARN cuts hit content and sales as restructure rolls on
ARN’s latest wave of job cuts has begun to bite, with high-profile exits starting to roll through the network.
According to Radio Today, KIIS 1065 Content Director Tony Aldridge wrapped up his final day yesterday, marking the end of a seven-and-a-half-year run following earlier stints at i98FM.
It’s all part of a broader shake-up as ARN recalibrates for efficiency, but the early exits suggest some long-standing staffers are getting caught in the churn.
Television
Drama and kids’ TV spend nosedives on commercial networks
New data from the broadcast watchdog has put a spotlight on just how far drama and kids’ content have slipped down the priority list for Australia’s commercial free-to-air networks.
As Karl Quinn writes in The Sydney Morning Herald, while overall spending has stayed steady over five years, the investment in local storytelling has fallen off a cliff.
In 2023–24, Nine, Seven and Ten spent a combined $1.842 billion on programming, only slightly less than five years ago, but spending on Australian adult drama has halved.
AI
Ad industry rallies to keep the regulators at bay
Australia’s top advertising, media and marketing groups are making a renewed push for self-regulation, warning that blanket bans and government crackdowns could do more harm than good.
The message, according to Danielle Long in The Australian, is to let the industry lead or risk stifling creativity, investment and economic growth.
Speaking at the Growth Agenda event in Sydney, leaders from the Advertising Council Australia, Media Federation of Australia and AANA responded to growing political scrutiny over gambling, junk food and greenwashing ads.
Google reboots search as Sergey Brin steps back in
Google is going all-in on AI, and co-founder Sergey Brin is right back in the thick of it.
As Stephen Morris, Melissa Heikkila and Cristina Criddle write in The Australian Financial Review, making a surprise cameo at the company’s developer conference, Brin revealed he’s now working hands-on in Google’s AI labs, chasing the holy grail of artificial general intelligence.
His blunt message? If you’re a computer scientist and not working on AI, you’re wasting your time.
Brands
Tim Tam sets sights on global biscuit glory
Arnott’s is making a serious play for the global snack crown, and it’s betting big on its cult-favourite chocolate biscuit to lead the charge.
As Danielle Long writes in The Australian, the Tim Tam is already a homegrown hero, but now it’s turning heads in key overseas markets like the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.
Chief marketing officer Jenni Dill says the response in the UK has been especially sweet, with sales outpacing expectations.